Doug Zohrab
Encyclopedia
Balfour Douglas "Doug" Zohrab (14 July 1917 - 1 June 2008) was a New Zealand
diplomat and public servant. He was a newspaper copyholder and junior reporter on Wellington's Evening Post
newspaper from 1934, then graduated from Victoria University of Wellington
with a masters degree in History in 1937 and became an assistant librarian at Parliament’s General Assembly Library. Apart from his native English, he knew French, Italian, German, some Japanese, some Malay, and taught himself Russian.
In World War II
, he was a cipher clerk on General Freyberg’s staff, where his duties included interviewing Italian prisoners of war. He spent time recuperating from illness in Lebanon, then was invalided home from the Middle East
. In 1944, he was appointed to the Ministry of Rehabilitation then to the Prime Minister’s Department, in the section that became what is now known as the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
. He served in London, Moscow, Paris, then in Wellington and, overseas again, in Tokyo. He was Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva 1961-64, worked at Wellington headquarters, then was made High Commissioner to Malaysia 1967-69, then Ambassador to Germany 1969-74 accredited also to Austria, Switzerland and Poland. He retired in 1974, after 26 years of service overseas.
He was born in Wellington
of a part-Armenian family whose paternal ancestor was moved from Armenia to Persia by the Shah in around 1600 AD. Members of the family became influential in Persia and were forced to escape political assassination at the end of the 18th century by fleeing to Turkey. In due course, some family members moved, in turn, to Malta, England, South Africa Australia, and New Zealand. He was an amateur pianist who reportedly played on Radio New Zealand in his youth, and he was interested in the arts generally. His other hobbies were reading, contract bridge and gardening. He married Rosemary Alice Miller in 1947; and died in Waikanae, leaving two sons.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
diplomat and public servant. He was a newspaper copyholder and junior reporter on Wellington's Evening Post
Evening Post
Evening Post may refer to:Newspapers:* Bristol Evening Post* Evening Post, Charleston; now The Post and Courier* New Evening Post * Jersey Evening Post* Lancashire Evening Post* London Evening Post...
newspaper from 1934, then graduated from Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...
with a masters degree in History in 1937 and became an assistant librarian at Parliament’s General Assembly Library. Apart from his native English, he knew French, Italian, German, some Japanese, some Malay, and taught himself Russian.
In World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he was a cipher clerk on General Freyberg’s staff, where his duties included interviewing Italian prisoners of war. He spent time recuperating from illness in Lebanon, then was invalided home from the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. In 1944, he was appointed to the Ministry of Rehabilitation then to the Prime Minister’s Department, in the section that became what is now known as the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is the New Zealand Government ministry responsible for promoting New Zealand's interests in trade and international relations....
. He served in London, Moscow, Paris, then in Wellington and, overseas again, in Tokyo. He was Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva 1961-64, worked at Wellington headquarters, then was made High Commissioner to Malaysia 1967-69, then Ambassador to Germany 1969-74 accredited also to Austria, Switzerland and Poland. He retired in 1974, after 26 years of service overseas.
He was born in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
of a part-Armenian family whose paternal ancestor was moved from Armenia to Persia by the Shah in around 1600 AD. Members of the family became influential in Persia and were forced to escape political assassination at the end of the 18th century by fleeing to Turkey. In due course, some family members moved, in turn, to Malta, England, South Africa Australia, and New Zealand. He was an amateur pianist who reportedly played on Radio New Zealand in his youth, and he was interested in the arts generally. His other hobbies were reading, contract bridge and gardening. He married Rosemary Alice Miller in 1947; and died in Waikanae, leaving two sons.